IACLE honours the recipients of the 2023 awards

Contact lens educators from three countries – Colombia, India, and Jordan – receive prestigious awards from the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE) for their outstanding contributions to contact lens education.

IACLE has today announced the winners of the 2023 IACLE Contact Lens Educator of the Year Awards to recognize and reward achievement in contact lens education.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship from CooperVision, and co-sponsorship from the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA), three IACLE Contact Lens Educator of the Year Award winners attended the BCLA’s Clinical Conference & Exhibition (9-11 June) and received their awards during the Gala Dinner at IACLE’s 4th World Congress on Contact Lens Education (7 June).

Dr Myriam Teresa Mayorga

La Salle University, Bogotá, Colombia

Isha Dave

Lotus College of Optometry, Mumbai, India

Dr May Bakkar

Jordan University of Science and Technology, Ar-Ramtha, Jordan

Dr Bakkar commented on winning the award, ‘It is a great honor to be awarded the 2023 IACLE Contact Lens Educator of the Year Award. I am sincerely grateful to the IACLE team, who has nominated me for the award. On this occasion, I feel indebted to show gratitude to IACLE and its sponsors for their distinguished effort and support in providing us with outstanding teaching material, webinars, and conferences. All of these have assisted us in raising the standards of contact lens education in Jordan and the Middle East. I want to extend my gratitude to all IACLE Fellows and colleagues with whom I have worked and from whom I have learned enthusiasm, determination, and discipline in running the IACLE organization. On behalf of all contact lens educators, practitioners, and students in the Middle East, thank you IACLE.’

‘Inspiring a future generation of eye care professionals is at the heart of the IACLE Contact Lens Educator of the Year Award,’ said Karen Walsh, Director, Global Professional Affairs – 1 Day & FRP Brands for CooperVision. ‘Passionate educators, committed to evidence-based contact lens practice, are a crucial part of this process. We are delighted to sponsor these awards and congratulate the 2023 recipients.’

BCLA Immediate Past President Neil Retallic commented, ‘The BCLA is delighted to see well-respected educators receive the recognition they deserve through the IACLE awards. I am grateful for everything they do to support the profession. Congratulations to all.’

IACLE President Professor Philip Morgan commented, ‘It is wonderful to be able to announce this year’s Educator of the Year Awards. I would personally like to congratulate our three winners – this is a great accolade for them all and an acknowledgement of their commitment, enthusiasm, and skills. We are lucky to have them working in our field. Thanks to CooperVision and the BCLA for sponsoring these awards and indeed to all our sponsors for their ongoing support of our work.’